Random musings from the Oct. 29 Big 12 coaches’ conference call:
REASON No. 2,749 why Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione doesn’t get it. Speaking to a bunch of A&M boosters this summer, Franchione cracked wise about Oklahoma’s only concern this season being what jobs the Sooners (7-1, 3-1) would be able to secure, a reference to OU’s NCAA issues last year that resulted in the dismissal of quarterback Rhett Bomar and an offensive lineman.
Well, fast forward to Monday, with the Aggies (6-3, 3-2) preparing for a Saturday trip to Norman.
Bob Stoops was asked about the comments, but he refused to take the bait.
“We don’t need to be reminded,” he said. “Yeah, it surprised me, but (Franchione) can clarify his comments. That’s not for me to do.”
Earlier in the summer, though, the OU coach wasn’t so charitable. According to the Tulsa World, Stoops’ response was, “There are a lot of people who have a lot to say when they don’t have a Big 12 championship to talk about.”
Ouch.
Franchione, to his credit, tried to downplay the incident Monday.
“I don’t Oklahoma needs that,” he said. “Again, that was a light-hearted comment with a bunch of Aggies in the room. That’s not my style. … I have great respect for Oklahoma and their program.”
Who else thinks it gets ugly Saturday in Norman?
FROM the “Funny like a circus clown” department, K-State coach Ron Prince was asked about recruiting eight-man (or six-man) football players from the high school ranks. There are a few on the Wildcats’ roster, and Prince used the forum to expound the virtues of — drumroll, please — playing in space and how fewer participants on the field forced eight-man football players to adapt and deal with more wide open spaces.
“It’s probably the closest thing we perceive to Arena Football,” said Prince, who is clearly a football junkie.
The same question was posed to Texas coach Mack Brown, and his response was about what you’d expect.
He’s never had to recruit an eight-man football player.
One final thought, a reminder, really. Prince’s Wildcats defeated Brown’s Longhorns, 41-21, Sept. 29 in Austin. Last year, Prince’s Wildcats defeated Brown’s Longhorns, 45-42, in Manhattan.
Maybe someone is doing something wrong.
REMEMBER, coaches never read anything written about them in newspapers or magazines.
But there are exceptions, such as Gary Pinkel and that glowing piece in last week’s Sports Illustrated.
“I read it once,” the Missouri coach said. “I thought it was a nice article. Honestly, I don’t read anything. A copy was thrown in my face last Wednesday.”
Right. …
MIKE Leach had this to say about this Texas Tech Red Raiders, who have suddenly lost two in a row but host Baylor this weekend:
“We’re a team that works hard, but a team that is streaky.”
THE end is near for Baylor coach Guy Morriss, as it seems his frustration with the same miscues has reached its nadir.
“It’s not like we’re coaching them to go out and put the ball on the ground and throw interceptions,” he said. “Being a former player, (I know) players are the only ones who can get it stopped.”
The Bears gave the ball to Kansas State seven times in the Wildcats’ 51-13 victory Saturday.
“We’re our own worst enemy,” Morriss said.
In fairness, the Bears are everyone’s favorite enemy right now.
COUNT Gene Chizik among those in the Jordy Nelson Fan Club.
“A great player,” the Iowa State coach said. “He’s tough. He does a number of different things well. He’s a force in this league. Coach Prince has done a great job of utilizing him, getting the most out of him.”
COLORADO received the silent treatment last week in practice from Dan Hawkins, and it seemed to work as the Buffaloes responded by upsetting the Red Raiders in Lubbock.
Of course, it was a psychological ploy, the Hawk said.
“That’s one of the things we try to do — situational leadership,” he said. “You can’t do the same things every week. There has to be an ebb and flow to leadership. … Sometimes you can say too much, you can repeat too many things. You need a freshness to the approach.”
AND, finally, a word from Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, who informed the media that Sam Keller won’t quarterback the Huskers again this season after incurring a shoulder injury:
“This creates an opportunity for Joe Ganz to step up. I have all of the confidence in the world in him.”
Nothing more needs to be said.